New Delhi: Delhi High Court questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about its intentions regarding the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. The query arose during a hearing about the EDs plea to cancel Kejriwals bail in a money-laundering case related to the now-defunct excise policy. The court wanted to know if the ED would seek to arrest the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader again if the bail were to be revoked.Supreme Courts interim bailThe high courts inquiry comes in light of the Supreme Court granting Kejriwal interim bail in the money-laundering case back in July. Given this, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna of the Delhi High Court described the matter as primarily an academic issue at present. She pressed the EDs counsel for clarity, asking, What will happen if I allow your petition Will you arrest him again The EDs counsel responded that there was no current intention to arrest Kejriwal and that no authority had deemed his arrest unlawful.Confusion over legal filingsJustice Krishna also expressed confusion over the nature of the applications filed, citing their complex drafting. Is it for bail, illegal custody, or compensation I am confused, she remarked, according to a PTI report.Background of caseArvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and has remained in jail due to a separate corruption case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the excise policy. The AAP leader and his party have been accused of receiving ₹100 crore in kickbacks in exchange for favors granted to a consortium of businessmen under the policy. Despite being granted bail by a trial court on June 20, the ED challenged this decision in the high court, labeling the trial courts order as perverse and one-sided. Consequently, the high court stayed the bail order.Upcoming hearingThe Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for September 5, where it will further deliberate on the EDs plea and the legal proceedings surrounding Kejriwals bail and custody status.
